Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ category

Skin Cancer is on the rise…protect your skin!

I’ve read and heard a number of articles and reports in the past few days about sun tanning and the relationship to skin cancer. Apparently skin cancer is on the rise…dangerously.

Not only is skin cancer on the rise, but more and more cases are being found on young adults and teenagers…not good.

I’ve heard that you shouldn’t use tanning beds at all.

I’ve also heard that not only should you put on sunscreen 30 minutes prior to exposure, but that you should put on A LOT of sunscreen – the amount that would fit into a shot glass.

They also say that sunscreen deteriorates over time, and any sunscreen you’ve had in your cabinet for a while should be replaced…seasonally. (I know I have some old sun screen in my cabinet…how about you?)

Here’s a recent article and video with information issued by the Surgeon General:

Those of you tanning or burning your skin this summer should stop — seek the shade, wear a hat and some sunscreen and, whatever you do, stay out of indoor tanning salons. It’s a familiar skin-cancer prevention message, but it’s coming from a new source: the office of the U.S. Surgeon General.

The call to action from acting Surgeon General Boris Lushniak, released Tuesday, says that skin cancer is a “major public health problem”… READ MORE

Here’s a blurb from the Skin Cancer Foundation:

Sunburn — the skin reddening caused by overexposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation — may seem like just a temporary irritation, but sunburns can cause long-lasting damage to the skin. Children are especially at risk: One blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than doubles a person’s chances of developing melanoma later in life. Don’t get burned: Read the articles below to learn all about The Skin Cancer Foundation’s expert advice on sunburn prevention, treatment, and relief! READ MORE

Like this:

Your 30-second message is not about educating, explaining, or boring your acquaintance; it’s about sparking enough interest to prompt them to do something; ask for your card, introduce you to someone you should know, or even make an appointment to learn more. If you give them a reason to want to know more, they will act on their instinct.

Many of you are business owners or are in sales of some sort…and you have many opportunities to meet new people, talk about what you do, and create new relationships.

That said, one of the most powerful tools to have is a strong, memorable Elevator Speech (or Elevator Pitch or Elevator Statement), with a solid Call To Action.

What is an Elevator Speech? Here’s what Wikipedia has to say:

An elevator pitch (or elevator speech or elevator statement) is a short summary used to quickly and simply define a product, service, or organization and its value proposition. The name “elevator pitch” reflects the idea that it should be possible to deliver the summary in the time span of an elevator ride, or approximately thirty seconds to two minutes. In The Perfect Elevator Speech, Aileen Pincus states that an elevator speech should “sum up unique aspects of your service or product in a way that excites others.”

So…you may be at a Networking Meeting…or a Social Affair…or a Business Meeting…or literally in an elevator – and you may have anywhere from 20 seconds to two minutes to introduce yourself, explain what you do, state what you are looking for, and request a call to action…can you do it? Will you be memorable / noticed? Will you get results?

The Elevator Speech is NOT easy to do! It takes forethought and lots of practice. You also need to have more than one version, as different situations (i.e., different audiences /demographics) require different approaches.

Here are just a few resources to get you started – go to Google and do some more research:

Happy Independence Day, everyone!

…or, if you prefer, Happy 4th of July!

So this week, as the country celebrates its independence, it’s a good time to celebrate the independence of the small business owner, too.

And if you are a small business owner, celebrate your own independence. Give yourself a high-five. Starting and growing your own enterprise is challenging to say the least. But you—as with all entrepreneurs—are an independent thinker and visionary who enjoy building something on your own.

Remember, our country was founded on the spirit of entrepreneurship. Our ancestors who came to America did so with a vision of freedom and a desire to build a better life. Today that spirit continues to thrive in our country. Owning your own business is for many—the American Dream.

Like this:

I attended my first OC Brides Networking Event last week (I enjoyed it and look forward to more!) and met a gal who exposed me to something I hadn’t heard of before – Gen Y!

Kristy von Waldburg, Arbonne Consultant, told me about a presentation she heard at a recent convention. I expressed interest, so she whipped out her cell phone and forwarded to me a link to the email she had just received from the presenter…Jason Ryan Dorsey, The Gen Y Guy®, Acclaimed Speaker, Bestselling Author, Generational Thought Leader.

Jason Dorsey

I’m embarrassed to admit I’ve never even heard a reference to “Gen Y”. But after chatting with Kristy a little bit about what she learned from Jason I easily and quickly understood how important it is to understand them – especially if we want to communicate with them and market to them. Wow – what an eye opener for me!

Have you heard about Gen Y? Are you actively marketing to them in a certain way?

I just watched a few videos (both on Jason’s website and floating on YouTube), and have just begun to explore Jason’s website. Here’s a short video to give you an idea of why understanding Gen Y can effect your bottom line:

If this is new to you, I encourage you to explore further. I’ve only just begun.

Please share with us your knowledge or exposure to Gen Y.

I’m also curious to know if you have added to or changed your marketing strategies to accommodate Gen Y – please comment! Thanks.

I’ll expand further and share more information about Gen Y next time!! 🙂

Go to JingProject.com, check out its features and ideas on how it can be used, check out some How to Use Jing videos on YouTube (I’ve embedded a couple I have watched below), and see if it’s something you can take advantage of!

JIng (Photo credit: blogpocket)

I heard about it a little while ago, but have been using it only recently. And, wow – it’s easy to use and very handy to have! I expect I’ll start using it more and more!

Here’s a good technical demo that also includes info on Screencast.com:

Here’s the first video I watched – not as technically complete, but he gives you some real world ideas on how to use Jing.

Over the past few months I’ve made an effort to attend quite a few Networking Meetings – I’m not only having a great time, I’m meeting lots of people, learning a lot, getting great feedback, and expanding my horizons!!

In this economy, especially, it is so important to continue to network and communicate with people. What’s particularly important to remember is…it’s not who you know, it’s who they (people you know and/or meet) know…!

Many of us are uncomfortable in a ‘networking’ situation – it’s hard to develop that ‘elevator pitch’ or 30-second intro that explains who you are, what you do, why you do it, and what you’re looking for. However, it could be the most important thing you do for yourself and/or your business.

People buy from who they know, like and trust.

That said, JUST DO IT! Get out of your comfort zone! Practice your ‘intro’ or ‘elevator pitch’ or whatever you want to call it.

Then ask your friends and colleagues if they can recommend any Networking Meetings or opportunities. And when you get invited to one…GO!

There are many styles of meetings and groups – you MUST go to at least three (3) different meetings before you decide which type of meeting you like and if these meetings are ‘for you’ or not.

Some meetings are purely ‘pass out your card/sell your stuff/meet other business owners’ – which for some is what you want. City Chamber of Commerce Meetings is one of many options. Get out and meet other business owners in your area!

Some meetings have a goal or purpose – for example, Women’s Business Connections (I attended a meeting this morning) is all about Referrals – it’s supporting each others businesses by providing high quality and mass quantity of referrals to each other, and building relationships. WBC is a really great group of women entrepreneurs.

Some meetings are meant to expose you to new ideas or increase your knowledge – for instance, SMMOC (Social Media Mastermind Orange County) meets to share knowledge, tips and ‘new stuff’ about Social Media Marketing (I went to the meeting last Saturday – very interesting! Learned a lot!). This group actually discourages traditional ‘networking’ during the meeting to preserve it’s true goal of sharing information. (Of course, you can hang around afterwards and exchange cards.)

Full House at SMMOC (Photo credit: Jeff Hester)

There are numerous websites that can help you find Networking Meetings in your area and/or groups who share your interests. One example is MeetUp. You can search by topic, by locale, or by name. You can even start your own group!

Do yourself a favor – as with social media marketing, get involved! These days the one-on-one relationships and getting to know people you can refer and who will refer you is very important for success…in any area!

This applies to those of you who do not own a business…if you are a Student, if you have a Hobby or Craft, if you’d like to know what’s going on in your area, if you’d like to find other social outlets…lots of great things to do in a Networking Meeting or Group!

Do you have a Networking Meeting/Group you’d like to recommend to the rest of us? We’d love to hear about it!